If you're a woman, you might get acne or see existing pimples worsen every month right before your period. About 50 percent of adult women suffer from acne, the most common skin condition, at some point in their lives, and it's frequently related to their monthly cycles. This type of acne can be tough to treat, and your dermatologist may recommend you take Mononessa, a form of birth control pill, to get it under control.
Causes
Your skin makes oil in response to signals from hormones, specifically male hormones called androgens, according to the Cleveland Clinic. When too much oil is present, you'll likely break out in pimples. Most women who complain of acne actually have normal levels of hormones. But levels of estrogen and progesterone, two female hormones that normally counter the influence of androgens on the skin, drop in the week before your period, which is why you tend to get acne then.
Features
Mononessa contains ethinyl estradiol and norgestimate, two synthetic hormones that prevent your ovaries from producing an egg each month. These two hormones also can help to control your acne by reducing the effects of androgens on your skin, leading to less oil production. Although Mononessa hasn't been approved specifically by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for acne treatment, it contains ingredients that are similar to other birth control pills that have received FDA approval.
Cautions
Not every woman should take oral contraceptives. If your medical history includes blood clots, high blood pressure, breast, ovarian or liver cancer, or migraines, you shouldn't take Mononessa or any other birth control pill. Serious side effects, which are rare, can include cardiovascular problems, while milder side effects include nausea, depression, migraines and swelling.
Research
Medical research indicates that the combination of ethinyl estradiol and norgestimate in oral contraceptives can curb acne. In a study reported in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1997, investigators treated 250 women with moderate acne, some with birth control pills and some with a placebo. The women who received the birth control pill saw their pimples reduced by around half compared with those women who took the placebo.
Considerations
Mononessa only treats one of acne's causes--excess oil in the skin. You therefore might need to combine treatment with birth control pills with another type of topical therapy designed to either clear your clogged pores or kill bacteria on the skin. In addition, Mononessa and other oral contraceptives take several months to become effective in treating acne.
